


Perchance To Dream

by Elizabeth Culmer (edenfalling)



Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: Books, Friendship, Gen, Male-Female Friendship, Prompt Fic, Reading, Trains
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-01
Updated: 2014-11-01
Packaged: 2018-02-23 11:16:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2545559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/edenfalling/pseuds/Elizabeth%20Culmer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur lends Ariadne one of his favorite books.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Perchance To Dream

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hungrytiger11 (hungrytiger)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hungrytiger/gifts).



> This ficlet was written for [hungrytiger11](http://hungrytiger11.livejournal.com), in response to the prompt: _Ariadne and Arthur, favorite books_.

"I wouldn't have guessed you for a fantasy reader," Ariadne said as Arthur pulled a battered and clearly well-loved paperback from his satchel -- not only obviously fantasy, but fantasy with swirling, feminine-coded cover art, all jewels and flowers, fancy clothes and flowing hair, with scarcely a sword to be seen.

Arthur smiled and said, "Everyone in dreamwork should read McKillip; I've never found anyone better at recreating the experience of lucid dreaming in text that still manages to follow a coherent plot." He glanced down at his book, then handed it across the train compartment to Ariadne. " _Ombria in Shadow_ isn't the best introduction -- it's easier to start with her early, more straightforward work, so you already trust her when she gets obscure in later stories -- but it stands alone and has a fairly balanced resolution. If nothing else, it should give you a sense of her style."

"Oh, but--"

"I have other ways to pass the time," Arthur said, tapping the satchel that lay on the seat beside him. "Besides, one of us should be keeping an eye out for trouble. It's impossible to tie off all the potential loose ends around a job."

Ariadne glanced toward the flimsy sliding door that separated their compartment from the narrow, noisy corridor. The false passport in her jacket pocket seemed to pulse like Poe's malevolent buried heart.

"Hey. Don't worry. I've got this," Arthur said.

He probably did, which was both reassuring and an annoying reminder of all the things Ariadne still had to learn if she wanted to stay in the impossible twilit world of dreamwork. "Okay. Fair warning, though -- I zone out pretty hard when I'm reading," she said. "Tap my shoulder or something if you need my attention."

As their train rushed its click-clack-swaying way out of Bucharest, Ariadne opened the book and began to read: _"When the ruler of the ancient city of Ombria lay dying, his mistress, frozen out of the room by the black stare of Domina Pearl, drifted like a bird on a wave--"_

**Author's Note:**

> Arthur's comparison of Patricia McKillip's writing to lucid dreams is my own opinion, but we have different favorites from among her books. *wry*


End file.
